Days to look forward to
by AAnitab
Summary: Now, this is set sometime after CA:TWS and we're in a much happier land. Steve gets his Bucky back and he's keeping him. Natasha and Clint are together in exactly the way that the arrow necklace implied and have bigger news. Steve and Bucky have an apartment in Tony's Avengers Tower. This is romantic all over, but nothing explicit. Now, on to the show.


Title: Days to look forward to

Author: AnitaB

Author's notes: First, I own nothing from Marvel universe movies and make no money. Now, this is set sometime after CA:TWS and we're in a much happier land. Steve gets his Bucky back and he's keeping him. Natasha and Clint are together in exactly the way that the arrow necklace implied. Steve and Bucky have an apartment in Tony's Avengers Tower. This is romantic all over, but nothing explicit. Now, on to the show.

Days to look forward to

by AnitaB

Steve knew he was staring. He even knew it was rude. And it was possible that his mouth was hanging open all the while. But in his defense, the view before his eyes was not one he'd ever thought he'd see. Steve also knew he was smiling. But so was Bucky who was at his side and holding his hand. So were Tasha and Clint.

"Now, that's obvious." Steve pointed at the hands resting against the front of Natasha's black cat suit. A suit that didn't fit quite like it used to. Hands that were layered and intertwined where they pressed against a curve of stomach that was clearly no longer flat. An obvious curve being held in a protective gesture, by two sets of hands wearing matching rings on their wedding ring fingers. "That definitely counts as obvious jewelry, Natasha. That's something even I would have noticed."

"Well, duh, Steve." She leaned back into Barton's arms and rolled her eyes. Every inch of both their bodies were comfortable and relaxed. Steve had never seen her happier, not even blowing up secret Hydra bases on their couples vacations. "Wedding rings were a common and established signal even in your day."

Bucky chuckled and pressed closer against Steve's shoulder. "The bun in the oven was a common signal back then too. How far along are you?"

It was Clint that answered, both hands rubbing along the curve of the baby bump in question. "20 weeks. She ripped her favorite pants yesterday kicking someone in the head. I decided it was time to call in for backup before trying to buy real maternity clothes."

"Oh, yeah. Pregnancy hormones and a lethal skill-set are a scary combo." Steve watched Natasha's face get just a little scarier at Bucky's words.

"Want to spar, Brooklyn boy? My doctor says I should keep up with my regular exercise. Wiping the floor with you would be good for the baby."

Steve just found himself shaking his head before opening the living room door wide and gesturing the couple inside. "Calm down and get in here, both of you." The 'stop being so childish' expression was aimed at Natasha and Bucky. But so was the fond smile. He shared an eye roll with Clint as the pair crossed the door jamb and settled on the couch in a tangle of arms. "Want anything to drink? And have you told Tony and Pepper yet?"

"Water, thank you. And no, we haven't told anyone about the baby yet… or the rings." Natasha seemed almost embarrassed as she tucked herself in closer against Clint's chest. "We've been on the road ourselves for a bit. Out of contact."

"Clearly," Bucky clapped a metal hand on Clint's shoulder as he handed Natasha a bottle before returning to Steve's side. "If Tony had seen either the baby bump or the rings, all of New York would have heard it before you rode the elevator back down to our floor. He's not a subtle man."

"And Tasha nearly broke the hand on the last person who tried to touch the belly without permission." Clint smiled fondly while stroking one hand up and down the curve. "Think Stark would think before he tried?"

"I wouldn't break his hand." Natasha was also smiling, her fingers wandering around on the back of Clint's hand. "I promised Pepper ages ago that I wouldn't disable Tony without a really good reason."

"So, just a sprain then." Steve curled an arm tighter around Bucky and watched Clint do the same to his best girl. "Nothing scarring."

"Maybe even just a warning. It all depends on my mood at the moment." She shrugged with one shoulder, somehow cuddling back into her husband even further with the gesture.

Bucky's shoulder shook just a little with a low chuckle. "Stark at the mercy of pregnancy hormones? This I gotta see. Come on, Steve, let's take 'em up to see Stark and Pepper. Bruce or Betty might even be in the lab with him."

"Not just yet." Steve found himself leaning forward on his knees. "So what would happen to someone who asked for permission before trying to… touch the belly?" The curve of her stomach fascinated him. There was a tiny, little life growing inside her. A new little person that had the genes of some of the people he trusted most in the world. Steve wanted to meet that little person. And Clint and Natasha had brought themselves and the child to him before Tony, before anyone. Tasha was here, vulnerable and sharing it with him.

The considering look in Natasha's eyes was all that kept him on the couch while she tilted her head and seemed to have a silent conversation with Clint. Clearly the general population was stupid enough that no one had thought to ask for permission. "Alright, my Brooklyn Boys, you both may touch… but don't take this time as permanent permission."

"We wouldn't dare." Steve was at the edge of her seat with Bucky at his side before Natasha sat up off Clint's chest and carefully peeled up the bottom edge of her shirt and vest. "Has it started kicking yet?"

"Yes, SHE has. Seems to kick the most at three in the morning, though." Steve could almost see their child. His fingers itched to put the image behind his eyes to paper. She'd be a tiny little red-headed girl, delicate and deadly. "Here," Natasha guided his hand around the curve of her stomach just in time to feel a clear but soft thump into the middle of his palm.

It was.. it felt… "Hey, Buck, you gotta feel this." Steve kept his palm right over that steady thumping until he had Bucky's hand in place to take over the spot. He could feel the rhythm of the kicks increase through the back of Bucky's hand. The baby had good taste if she liked Bucky that much.

The expression of awe and wonder on Bucky's face must match his own. "She's… so active already. There's really a baby girl inside you."

"Oh, believe me. I know that." Natasha's smile didn't quite match the mixture of awe and frustration in her voice. Her face was softer. "That baby girl just loves to use my bladder as a heavy bag. Seems to take after her uncles a little more than I'd like her to."

/Uncles…\\ Steve felt Bucky go completely still in the same moment that all his own muscles went tight and stiff. "Uncles?" How he managed the word, Steve didn't really know. But his eyes were locked on Natasha's face to watch her bite her lip and nod.

"The one thing neither Clint or I ever really had… was family." Small fingers rested against the back of his hand, pressing the child into the triple layer of hands. "We want that for her." She paused a moment, meeting Clint's eyes over her shoulder. "We want her to have people she can really trust, people who love her."

"Family…" Bucky's voice held all the wonder, fear and need that were swirling around in the tight space between Steve's ribs. "We could be family…" Steve tracked the slide of Bucky's hand over to the scar the Winter Soldier had given to Natasha, the one Bucky still felt guilty over despite numerous reassurances. "You want me in her family?"

Steve watched Natasha roll her eyes affectionately. But it was Clint who answered with words and with gesture. A strong hand clapped onto Bucky's metal shoulder and stayed there. "We want you, both of you, in our family. I think we've made that more than clear. It makes me question your IQ a little. Wanna prove you've still got it at the range later?"

"Any day, bird boy, any day." The tension finally left Bucky's back and let the muscles in Steve's back unwind. He and Natasha adored watching their men compete on the shooting range. The challenges the archer and the sniper set for each other got progressively more and more ridiculous. And mind-meltingly hot. "But mama's gotta wear a vest this time." Bucky pressed an apologetic cheek to the scar on Natasha's stomach before pulling himself back up straight to look at the former assassin and spy head on. "I'm meeting my niece, so her mother has to be way more careful than she usually is right now."

"Like either one of you would even come close to missing a shot that badly…" Natasha smiled while she shook her head. "But a new vest is a good idea in general circumstances. Come on, my silly boys, let's go see Stark."

"Would you like to be announced, Ms. Romanoff?" Natasha looked up at the ceiling half way through the process of standing.

"That's going to take some getting used to." Bracing on Clint's shoulder, she finished getting to her feet before answering the residential AI. "No, Jarvis, but thank you. Where is Tony right now?"

"He and Ms. Potts are in the lab on the 21st floor. However, I feel you should let me at least tell them that the Captain and the Sergeant are on the way there. They are…" Steve heard the strangest combination of amusement and embarrassment in the AI's voice. "They are not using the lab for its intended purpose at the moment."

Steve felt himself blush before Bucky looked up at the ceiling with a laugh and a slow smile. "Thank you, Jarvis. We would rather not interrupt them." Steve felt Bucky's arm leave his shoulders in the moment before there was the sound of a metal to skin clap. "So, let's go get something to eat. Like, outside the tower, maybe go do that clothes shopping afterwards."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan, Buck. Cap's got good taste, I guess. Clint, go pick one of Tony's cars and pick us up at the private entrance."

"Yes, Ma'am." Clint pressed a quick kiss to Natasha's lips with a lingering stroke of one hand over her belly. "Convertible okay?"

Steve had never seen Natasha's expression be that soft before. He couldn't wait to watch the two assassins once their baby arrived. "Fine, but we're keeping the top up until we're away from the building. And hurry it up."

Steve found himself smiling at all his former assassins on the way down the elevator and out of the building. The next few months and years were going to be fascinating. There were going to be so many days to look forward to.

000


End file.
